Michri is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Michri was a descendant of Benjamin, mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles. He is known only through a single reference in Scripture, where he appears in a list of Benjamites who lived in Jerusalem after the return from exile. The text identifies him as the father of Uzzi, who was in turn the father of Elah. Elah is listed among those who settled in Jerusalem, alongside other heads of families from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
The setting of this passage is the post-exilic community. After the Babylonian captivity, the people of Israel returned to their land, and the Chronicler records how the various families and clans were reestablished in their ancestral territories and cities. Jerusalem, the holy city, was repopulated by members of both the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern tribe of Benjamin. Michri’s family was part of this resettlement. Though Michri himself is not described as doing anything notable, his inclusion in the genealogy shows that his line was preserved and counted among those who reoccupied Jerusalem.
Scripture says nothing else about Michri. He did not perform any recorded deed, hold any office, or speak any words. He is simply a link in a chain of generations, a name in a list. Yet that list mattered to the returning exiles, because it demonstrated that God had kept His people and restored them to their inheritance. Michri’s place in it is a quiet testimony that even the unnamed and uncelebrated were part of the covenant community.
The Name
The name Michri is a Hebrew name, but its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard Hebrew lexicons. Some have suggested a possible connection to a root meaning “sold” or “price,” but this is uncertain and not well established. Because the name appears only once in Scripture and is not given an explanation, no definitive meaning can be stated. It is better to acknowledge the uncertainty than to assign a meaning that the text does not support.
A Closing Thought
Michri’s life is a reminder that most of God’s people are not remembered for great deeds. They are known only as a name in a genealogy, a link between generations. Yet that is not a small thing. The faithfulness of ordinary people—raising children, preserving family lines, holding on to hope through exile and return—is the quiet foundation on which God’s purposes are built. Michri never preached or led an army, but he was part of the story of restoration. If your name is never written in a history book, take heart: it is written in the book of life, and that is enough.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 9:8 — And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah;